


Searching for Elijah

by Eternal



Series: Redux [1]
Category: ASIMOV Isaac - Works, Foundation - Isaac Asimov, Robot Series - Isaac Asimov
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-27 06:44:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9981302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal/pseuds/Eternal
Summary: Emperor Cleon I stumbles upon Demerzel's best kept secret.





	

‘So this is where you have been First Minister,’ Emperor Cleon I speaks, bursting with great conviction. ‘Dining with _that_   Doctor Seldon, discussing matters of great import with officials of the state, why it was rumoured that that business in Wye was concluded on your say so alone.’

He receives no reply from the insolent Minister although he is certain that if he tilts his neck and strains he can view the man’s form from where he stands outside of the antechamber.

‘Demerzel be damned,’ He mutters, face darkening and nostrils flaring, then, ‘Demerzel! Attend to me!’

When his summons too goes unheard, he labours breathing for awhile and then after eventually overcoming his cowardice he walks straight into the unlocked antechamber, fuming.

The pent up bravery vanishes. ‘What in the devil’s name?’

From the central fortified tube of clear blue fluid, lay a floating man. Thin externals and electroencephalogram leads trailed off his body and from time it time it seemed that trails of bubbles were emitted from his filter clamped nostrils.

‘The man you see before you is Elijah Baley, Sire.’ The First Minister replies mildly, hands loosely clasped in front of him.

‘Ah I see, Demerzel!’ The Emperor replies warmly, suddenly unperturbed. ‘Would I be correct in assuming that you have finally come to the spiritual awakening that Trantor has been too lenient in its punishing of subversives? Has my rhetoric in favour of the odd beheading and occasional torture finally swayed you?’

‘There was only one such case that it was warranted, Sire and it was this man. The event itself will be quite lengthy and tedious though and there is a three hour long service afterwards to reinforce that he is an enemy of the state and not a martyr.’

Emperor Cleon I nodded off, with a disinterest that wasn’t entirely his own. ‘Well, if there isn’t going to be a lot of screaming and blood I suppose I shall leave you to your pleasantries than, First Minister. I expect that I shall never see this -’ and here he decided to search his memories for a name on an impetus that wasn't there, ‘subversive again.’

‘It’s my pleasure, Sire.’ Demerzel agrees, outwardly unruffled as the Emperor leaves.

Then, with eyes of infinite weariness, Demerzel, equally Hummin but rarely R. Daneel Olivaw as he currently was, turns his eyes once more on his oldest friend in the ten percent oxygen admixed with eighty nine percent saline and one percent nutrient bath. Approximating, as a human might, for some stirring of life and sensing for, as a human did not, the stirring of mind.

* * *

 

And Elijah's eyes slide open. 


End file.
